Printing-plate-locking mechanism



2 Sheets-Sheet l 9 brie r1 fireuv'on A. w. wooo PRINTING PLATE LOCKINGMECHANISM Original Filed July 2, 1926 [E 7 ZZaae Cylvvier Z5 fipremz'aag 6315a) June 11, 1929.

jar 472cm 7074? fly mm:

June 11, 1929. H. A. w. WOOD PRINTING PLATE LOCKING MECHANISM 2Sheets$heet Original Filed July 2, 1926 Patented June 11, 1929.

STATES PATENT FFICE.

HENRY A. 'WISE HOOD, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO VIOOD NEXVSPAPERMACHINERY CORPGRATIUN, OF NEVT YORK, N. "L, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

PRINTING-PLATE-LOGKING IMECHANISM.

Application filed July 2, 1926, Serial No. 120,097.

This invention relates to a quick lock-up mechanism for the plates ofprinting cylinders and is an improvement on my application with the sametitle, Serial No. 95,333, filed March 17. 1926.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide an instantaneouslyacting plate locking and unlocking device, having in general thecharacteristics of said application, with electrical means connectedtherewith, whereby, when the means for unlocking the plates is inoperative condition, it will be impossible to drive the press at anyother than threading-in speeds, and to provide a safety device forpreventing accidental operation of the clamps.

In the use of the device the various plate clamps are left open in orderthat the plates may be removed and new ones applied, so that up to thelast instant the plates may be shifted or replaced without additionallabor and then, by the mere starting. of the press, all the clamps areclosed by the rotation of the cylinders themselves. In this way muchtime is saved in getting ready to start the press and the number of mennecessary to start it is reduced.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Rcfereice is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which lcig. 1 isa plan of a press equipped with a preferred plate locking and unlockingdevice constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one end of one plate cylinder showingthe looking device;

F 3 is a side view of the same partly in central section showing certainelectrical connections;

Fig. i is a similar fragmentary view showing the clamping ring cam;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the clampingring operating mechanism in inoperative position and Fig. 6 is an endview indicated by the arrow 6 in Fig. 2.

In my above mentioned application I have shown. a machine for quicklylocking plates on the printing cylinders of a press, to save delays dueto the operation of hand tools and to the separate locking of the plateson the several plate cylinders of a press. In

Renewed November 7, 1928.

this case I have shown the main features thereof.

I have shown in Fig. 1 a plan of a press with several impression andplate cylinders. in each case the various plates on the plate cylinder11 are locked by two semi-cylindrical locking rings 10 at each end. Inthis view I have shown the locking devices, which will be described. indetail later, as under the control of two electric circuits 1), oneconnected with each locking device all along the press. At the two sidesof the press are lock up push-buttons 14 each controlling the severalsolenoids 30 located on that side.

Y'Vhen the push button 14: shown open is closed, the several solenoidson that side of the press will be energized and by rotating thecylinders in a manner hereafter described the pressure on the plate willbe relieved. This automatically opens the circuit 13 on the lower halfof the push button lever which normally closes the circuit 1.5 of thepress control other than the jogging or inching speeds. Thus when thelock-up solenoids 30 are energized it is not possible to drive the pressat any other than those speeds. But the press can. be run at the lowspeed through the slow motor not shown. 7 represents a source of powersuch as a dynamo.

I also provide means for making it impossible to operate the lock-upsolenoids 30 electrically while the press is driven by the large or highspeed motor 16. This consists of a circuit breaker 9 which is connectedto the motor sides of the circuit breaker 6 of the large motor. It is soarranged that when the large motor 16 is in operation the currentcontrolling the lock-up solenoids is broken by a contractor 8 attachedto the last mentioned circuit breaker 9. This provides absolutely safetyin operating the lock-up solenoid so that it is impossible to run thepress on the large motor when they are in use and conversely it isimpossible to use them while the press is driven by the large motor.

Each of the locking rings 10 extends half way around the cylinder andlocks half the plates at that end of the cylinder, and the four rings oneach cylinder, of course, look all the plates thereon. In the formshown, the locking ring 10 has a beveled edge 17 which engages thebeveled edge of the plate P and holds the plate on the cylinder as iswell understood. The actual force which holds the plate is supplied by aplurality of springs 18 on guide rods 19 extending longitudinally of thecylinder and having their heads inserted in recesses in the ring so thatthis ring is normally held by the springs with sullicient force to clampthe plates firmly in position. I employ yielding force for this purposeso that the ring can be pulled back to release the plates and so that,when the means for pulling the plate back is out of operative connectionwith the ring 10, the springs will quickly and automatically draw thering back into the locking position as is indicated by a comparison ofFigs. 3 and 5.

For this purpose each ring- 10 is provided with a groove 20 which has acam 21. This cam is ui'idercut at 22 to provide an inwardly slantingsurface for a purpose that will appear. The operating means for theclamping ring comprises a lever 23 which is operated automatically.

On this lever 23 a stud 2;") having on the bottom a cam roller 26. Thisroller is of a truncated conical form to lit the slant 22 ot theundercut of the cam. it will be obvious that it the cam roller is downin the groove 20 which is uniform around the ring except for the cam 21,and is located at a point at a distance from the cam, the springs 18will be free to clamp the plate. N ow ill the cylinder rotates in thedirection of the arrow in Fig. 2 the cam 21 will be moved to theposition shown in that figure, and in doing so the ring 10 will be drawnback to the releasing position shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The purpose of undercutting the cam will now be obvious. The lever 23cannot be moved to release the roller 26 from the cam while in contacttherewith on account of this undercut and the conical shape of theroller. Therefo e, normally the press ill be sttmped in this positionand the clamps will he held open. The plates can be changed or adjustedand then the press can be started up. This results in the roller ridingoil the cam and the cam moving back into clamping position.

ll the roller 26 were left in the position shown in Fig. 3 the plateswould be unclamped at each revolution. For the purpose of witlnlrawina;the cam roller 26 from operative position the shaft 27 which carries thelever 23 is provided with anarm 28 which is connected with a plunger 2operated by a solenoid 30 which is connected with one line 12. \Vhen thepress is not running, the push-button 1 1- can be operated to connectthe circuit. All the lovers 23 on that side will be pulled down so as tobring the cam rolls 26 into the grooves 20 of the rings. Then duringthat half rotation of are press all the top clamps on that side will bereleased and the press will be stopped with the cam roller in theposition shown in Fig. 2.

Now it the current is broken by means of the push-button there vill beno magnetic energy to hold the levers in operative position. A spring 31operating on each arm 28 will be free to move the lever up to theinoperative position shown in Fig. 5. On the arm 28 are two projections32 which come into contact with stops 33 at the ends oi the oscillationof the lever and restrict its motion in that way.

To prevent the manual or accidental oparetion of each lever 23 i show alatch lever El i connected with the plunger 29 so as to be operatedthereby just before the latter operates the lock up lever 23. This locksthe lever in place whenever the circuit to the solenoid 30 is broken.The clamps on the other side are controlled by identical connectionsshown in part at the middle oi tle otner side in Fig. 1.

In this way it will be seen that all the clamps ot the pre s can bewithdrawn automatically during" the same rotation to release the plates.On starting up, the plates on one half ot' each cylinder will all beclamped during the same hall rotation and without.- any necessity forany attendant to be near any of them to perform any locking opera tion.They do not have to manipulate screws or belts or see that anyadjustments are made correct.

.llt will be seen that half the clamps on either half of the cylindersmay be opened simultaneously and left open so that the plates can beremoved and new ones applied.

The press is started up at threading-in speed and the top clamps on onehalf of the cylinders open during one half printing period of the pressor one half rotation of the plate cylinders. Up to the last instant,plates can be shifted or replaced without additional labor and then withthe mere startin; of the press all open clamps are closed. This savesmuch time in the starting of the and a great deal of lnirryingr aroundon the part of the operators to get the plates locked.

It will be seen, therefore, that the press "annot lie driven at anyother than the threading in speed until the plates are locked when theelectrical arrangement is used.

Although I have illustrated and described only one term of the invention1 am aware of the fact that modifications can be made theren by anyperson skilled in the art with out departing from the scope of theinvention as expressed in the claims.

ilherei ore, I do not wish to be hunted to the details oi construct-ionherein shown and described but what I do claim is:

1. In a printing press, the combination with clamping means for theprinting plates,

means for driving the press at printing speeds, and means for drivingthe press at slow speeds, of means for withdrawing the plate clamps, andmeans whereby the operation of the means for driving the press atprinting speeds will render the clamp withdrawing means inoperative.

2. In a printing press, the combination with automatic clamping meansfor the printing plates, electric connections for driving the press atfull speed, and electric connections for driving the press at slowspeeds, of electro magnetic means for withdrawing the plate clamps, andmeans whereby the connection of the electric means for driving the pressat full speed will render the electro magnetic means inoperative.

3. In a printing press, the combination with automatic means forwithdrawing the plate clamps to release the plates, electric connectionsfor driving the press at full speed and electric connections for drivingthe press at slow speeds, of means whereby when the press is connectedto be driven at slow speed the automatic means will be in "fulloperative condition, and means whereby when the press is connected to bedriven at high speeds the electro magnetic means will be inoperative torelease the plates.

1:. In a printing press, the combination with means for withdrawing theplate clamps to release the plates, means for driving the press atprinting speed, and means for driving the press at slow speeds, of meanswhereby whenthe press is connected to be driven at slow speed the clampwithdrawing means will be in full operative con dition, and meanswhereby when the press is connected to be driven at high speeds theclamp withdrawing meanswill be inoperative to release the plates.

In a printing press, the combination with a series of plate cylinders,automatic clamping means thereon for clamping and releasing the plates,solenoids adapted to render the clamping means operative for unclampingthe plates when the solenoids are energized, a motor for driving thepress and means whereby the solenoids are all cut out of the circuitwhen said motor is thrown into the circuit and operated.

6. In a printing press, the combination with a series of platecylinders, means there on for releasing the plates, and solenoids forrendering the releasing means operative for unclamping the plates, ofmeans for rendering the releasing means inoperative when the solenoidsare de-energized, a motor for driving the press at printing speeds, andmeans whereby the solenoids are all cut out of the circuit when saidmotor is thrown into the circuit and operated.

7. In a printing press, the combination with a series of platecylinders, means thereon for releasin the plates, solenoids forrendering the plate releasing means operative for unclamping the plates,and springs for normally holding the releasing means in inoperativeposition when the solenoids are deenergized, of a motor for driving thepress, a circuit breaker connected with the motor for connecting it tothe line, a second circuit breaker connected to the motor sides thereof,and a contactor for the last named circuit breaker for breaking thecircuit controlling the solenoids and preventing their operation whenthe first circuit breaker is closed.

8. In a printing press, the combination with a series of platecylinders, automatic clamping means thereon for clamping and releasingthe plates, and solenoids for operating the clamping means adapted torender them operative for unclamping the plates when the solenoids areenergized, of a motor for driving the press at printing speeds, acircuit breaker for the motor, a second circuit breaker connected to themotor sides thereof, and a contactor operated by the first named circuitbreaker for breaking the circuit controlling the solenoids andpreventing their operation when the circuits are connected to throw inthe motor.

9. In a printing press, the combination with the plate cylinders, plateclamps therefor, and a series of solenoids on each side of the pressadapted to be connected up to withdraw the plate clamps and release allthe plates on that side of the press, of a push button for controllingthe whole series of solenoids on that side of the press, a circuitconnected with the push button when it is closed for energizing saidsolenoids, a series of levers connected with the solenoids and adaptedto be moved thereby into operative position when energized, cams on theseveral plate clamps which, when the cylin der turns to a certainposition, will withdraw the plate clamps, if the several solenoids areenergized, a motor for driving the press at inching or jogging speedsconnected with one side of said push button and operative to drive thepress when the puslrbutton is closed, said solenoids being connected tobe tie-energized when the push button is open, and a circuit connectedand completed when the push button is open for operating a motor todrive the press at full speed, whereby when the press is driven at fullspeed the solenoids are de-energized and cannot act to withdraw theplate clamps, but when it is driven at inching or jogging speeds thesolenoids are energized and the plate will be automatically released.

10. In a printing press, the combination with the plate cylinders, plateclamps therefor, and a series of solenoids on each side of the pressadapted to be connected up to withdraw the plate clamps and release allthe plates on that side of the press, of a push button for controllingthe whole series of solenoids on that side of the press, a circuitconnected with the push button when it is closed for energizing saidsolenoids, a series of levers connected with the solenoids and adaptedto be moved thereby into operative position when energized, cams on theseveral plate clamps which, when the cylinder turns to a certainposition, will withdraw the plate clamps if the several solenoids areenergized, a motor for driving the press at inching or jogging speedsconnected with one side or said push button and operative to drive thepress when the push button is closed, said solenoids being connected tobe ale-energized when the push button is open, and means whereby whenthe press is driven at inching or jogging speeds the solenoids areenergized and can act to withdraw the plate clamps.

11. In a printing press, the combination with the plate cylinders, plateclamps therefore, and a series of solenoids adapted to be connected upto withdraw the plate clamps and release the plates, of a series of:lovers connected with the solenoids and adapted to be moved thereby intooperative position when energized, cams on the several plate clampswhich, when the cylinder turns to a certain position, will withdraw theplate clamps if the several solenoids are energized, a motor for drivingthe press at inching or jogging speeds, and means whereby when the pressis driven at inching or jogging speeds the solenoids are energized andcan act to withdraw the plate clamps.

12. In a plate elampin g device for a printing press, the combination ofa plate clamp, a spring for normally holding the plate clamp in positionfor locking tne plates, said plate clamp having a cam groove thereon, alever having a roller adapted to be located in the cam groove forpulling back the plate clamp when the cylinder rotates to a certainpoint, a spring for holding the lever in inoperative position away fromthe clamp, a solenoid for moving the lever into opera tive position withits roller in the cam groove, and means connected with the plunger ofthe solenoid for locking the lever in inoperative position when thesolenoid is inactive.

13. In a plate clamping device for a printing press, the combinationwith a plate clamp, and means for normally holding the plate clamp inpoe 'tion for lockin the plates, of movable means i'or drawing bd k theplate clamp when the cylinder rotates to a certain'point, said meansnormally being in inoperative position, a solenoid for moving the lastnamed means into operative position, and a latch connected with theplunger of the solenoid and operated thereby for locle ing the lastnamed means in inoperative position when the solenoid is not energized.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atfixed my signature.

FENRY A. FUSE WOOD.

